1. Technical Field
The present invention relates in general to improved authentication and in particular to improved identity protection during anonymous evaluation into a role. Still more particularly, the present invention relates to allowing a user control over anonymity of the user's identity for authenticated role-based accesses, without requiring reliance on any single third party to maintain anonymity.
2. Description of the Related Art
Within a network, it is typical for access to the network, data, and other resources to be restricted by a resource protector that only allows access to a particular user or group of users. One method for defining restrictions is by defining the role or roles that a user must be a member of to receive access beyond the resource protector. Users are individually assigned these roles, but must still prove membership or evaluate to assigned roles to receive access to the network, data, or other resources protected by the role requirement.
In some cases, when a user authenticates into a role, it would be advantageous for the user's identity to remain anonymous. For example, if a user is required to evaluate a manager through an on-line survey, the user would like to remain anonymous when filling out the evaluation. However, to access the on-line survey, the user must show that the user belongs to the manager's employee group, where the manager's employee group is a role.
One solution to maintaining identity anonymity during role authentication is through the use of a trusted third party arbitrator. The user shows the user's identity to the trusted third party arbitrator and relies on the trusted third party arbitrator to vouch for the user's role membership to a resource protector while promising to keep the user's identity secret.
The use of a trusted third party arbitrator, however, is limited because it is disadvantageous for the user to be required to rely on the trusted third party arbitrator to keep the user's identity a secret. For example, where the user requests access to anonymously fill out the on-line manager survey, it is disadvantageous for the user to be required to rely on a third party to maintain the anonymity of the user, particularly when that third party is likely under some control by the employer. In addition, even if a trusted third party arbitrator keeps the user's identity secret when the user authenticates into a role, the resource protector might still ascertain the user's identity from tracking the network location from which a user operates.
Therefore, in view of the foregoing, there is a need for a method, system, and program for allowing a user to anonymously authenticate into a role and anonymously connect to access resources in that role, without requiring the user to rely on a third party arbitrator to maintain anonymity. In particular, there is a need for a user to be in control of maintaining anonymity when evaluating into a role, while also enabling a resource protector to certify that the user is a member of the role.